Unleashing my inner farmgirl- she is changing my life (for the better)!

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Countdown!

Five days until Christmas; four days until company and seven days to our family vacation over New Years. Lots of count downs, lots of lists and lots to do! We have been traveling this week and just arrived back last night. With all the traveling, holidays approaching and another big trip on the way, it can be a little exasperating! BUT it is all good stuff so how can one complain?

Our trip this week was for a big party for our daughter who is pregnant. On Monday night, we had a “Gender Reveal” party (something that was not even an option when I birthed my girlies!). We all found out together that it is a son, grandson and nephew! Yep, it is a boy! Such a great trip to celebrate this and also an opportunity to visit all my daughters at the save time– a feat that is rare!

Holidays right around the corner give another reason to celebrate and visit with family. My mom and dad are coming in town something that may not be possible had we not moved closer to them. A two hour drive is manageable for them, but an 8 + hour drive not so much anymore. I am fortunate to have both my parents still nearby and well to celebrate with.

Our family vacation begins on 12/28. Every year over the new year holiday we rent a condo at the beach and the girls and their boyfriends/husbands come down. It is SUCH a blast and I look forward to it every year. We are all spread out now and they have busy lives and jobs. They also have partners with families that they want to spend time with at the holidays also. So, we bring a tree and ornaments and presents and we celebrate Christmas first– we do all the family traditions- pj’s on “Christmas Eve”, stockings on “Christmas Morning”, presents later in the morning, a big breakfast and then we move into New Years Eve on the 31st. We also have a “food throwdown” every year with secret ballot voting in the bathroom. We have done pasta, sliders, pizza and this year’s theme for the throwdown is appetizers!

With so many last minutes preparations it is easy to get lost. If I focus on the smiles and memories that we have shared over the years and the new ones that are about to occur, I can stay very calm and joyful! 🙂 I have so much to be thankful for and am happily finishing up things this weekend to get ready for celebrating Christmas, Jesus’ birth, family and much love.